Original German WWII Named Luftwaffe Grouping with Dagger by E. & F. Hörster, 1957 EKII, 1957 Bomber Clasp, 2 Photo Albums & Additional Photos
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Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a lovely named Luftwaffe grouping, which was acquired directly from the son of German WWII Luftwaffe pilot Alfred Otto Heiss. It contains a lovely 2nd Model Luftaffe Officer's Dagger with the full accessories, post war 1957 versions of the EKII and Gold Front Flying Clasp for Bombers (110 Missions), as well as two photo albums and additional portrait photos of Heiss. The post war medals suggests that Heiss may have served in the West German Bundeswehr Luftwaffe. This is a fantastic set with both great display and research potential.
The grouping came to us with a signed letter from Alfred's son Tristan A. Heiss, giving a cursory description of the grouping:
This Luftwaffe dress dagger, german medals, and two photo albums belong to my dad, Alfred Otto Heiss. Born Oct 13, 1919, in Vienna Austria. Was a member of H****r youth. He belonged to the 88th bomb group. He was shot down and captured by the British, towards the end of the war. My dad told me that he extensively bombed Stalingrad at the beginning of the war, and later flew the ME-262A.
Tristan A. Heiss
4-6-2012
SEBRING, FLA. USA
The photo albums contain a multitude of photographs, probably from both before and during Heiss's military service. There are two larger portraits of Heiss, one from earlier in lift, and one in his Luftwaffe uniform, showing a rank of Feldwebel, equivalent to an RAF "Flight Sergeant".
The smaller of the two photo albums measures 6 1/2" x 10", and looks to show Heiss in service to the RAD Labor Corps. The inside of the front cover reads Im Arbeitdienst / Brilon-Wald / Westfalen, which translates to "In Labor Service, Brilon-Wald in Westphalia". The pages show mostly labor corps scenes, with some military related scenes.
Tucked into the front of this album were numerous military photographs, both portraits and personal photographs, which show Luftwaffe service members, possibly some of Heiss himself.
The larger of the two photo albums is a true treasure trove of WWII Photographs, as many have named locations on them, many in occupied France. There are photos of the Paris, including the Eifel Tower, Bourdeaux, and more. This album measures 9" x 12 1/4", and the front cover has torn off.
It's rare that we get such incredible groupings of items with both great display and research potential. This is definitely a set that will appeal to the collector who really likes to dig deep into history. Ready to research and display!
Detailed Description of the included dagger:
This is a very nice example of mid-war production 2nd Model Luftwaffe dagger. It is a fine Solingen-Produced example made by the well- known firm of E. & F. Hörster, Waffenfabrik (weapons factory). The celluloid grip of this dagger is a nice dark pumpkin orange color, showing a bit of a lighter color on one side. This discoloration is caused by the light, and originally the handle would have been closer to an ivory color. It has a nice tapered shape, and is tightly wrapped with twisted wires. There is just a bit of wear, and no cracking or chipping that we can see.
The hilt mounts are in similar condition with a lovely patina of age. The pommel is very good and still shows most of the original detail. The "mobile" swass on both sides are clear and the oak leaves around them are raised out and heavily hand enhanced. The pommel appears to be solid aluminum, with a nice darkened finish in the recessed areas.
The crossguard on this example looks to be made from zinc alloy, and now shows a lovely oxidized patina. The front side is an eagle with a breast and talon area that is vaulted out much more so than the crossguards seen on other types of daggers. The guard shows little wear and has great feathering on the eagle. The bird, of course, flies to the left and grasps a mobile swas in his talons. The reverse panel is decorated with small pebbling, which is still clear.
Tied around the bottom of the grip is an original portepee, which is in very good condition, and tied in the Luftwaffe style. It does show a bit of light wear and fraying, but still looks great! The ferrule looks to be plated steel, and it is still in very good condition, with the plating still bright and shiny, having been protected by the protected by the portepee.
The very good condition blade is mostly bright throughout, showing much of the original factory final grind cross grain. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. There is some light wear and oxidation, which has been cleaned away, making the cross grain faint in areas. The tip is also bent a bit, probably from being dropped long ago. There also is the usual runner wear on the blade surface, however this is present on just about every dagger out there. The original leather blade buffer is still present in the recess on the guard.
The reverse ricasso of this great sword is maker marked E. & F. HÖRSTER / SOLINGEN in an oval "lozenge" around the company's trademark downward pointing sword piercing interlocking HHS initials. E. & F. Hörster & Co Gmbh, Waffenfabrik (weapons factory), is a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany, which marketed many fine edged weapons. The firm lasted long after WWII, finally being declared insolvent in 1996. For more information please see GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS by J. Anthony Carter.
This steel scabbard is a fine, straight example, and looks to be made of silver or zinc plated steel. The plating has matured to a lovely dark gray patina, and the areas where it is worn now have a dark steel oxidized patina. The bands are aluminum, and are well defined and have outstanding hand enhanced oak leaves tipped at a 45 degree angle. They do show wear, as the softer alloy was more easily worn away. The throat is retained by two dome head screws on the narrow sides of the scabbard.
The attached belt hanger is the correct Luftwaffe type, and has all aluminum fittings. It is in very good condition, and shows a love of period wear to the clips and other components. The fabric straps still have solid velvet on the back, though the sides definitely show wear.
This is a very nice 2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger with scabbard, hanger, and portepee. Made by a desirable maker and offered in very good condition, this dagger is ready to display!
Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Overall length: 15 1/8”
Crossguard: 3 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 11 3/4”
- This product is available for international shipping. Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or Germany
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
- Due to legal restrictions this item cannot be shipped to Australia, France or Germany. This is not a comprehensive list and other countries may be added in the future.
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